Love Hurts
by Reina
Summary: Okay, this will be hard to summarize without giving to much away, but: About a week after Duo leaves (those White Fang guys came, Duo left shortly after), Hilde still really misses him. She has to do something, but what? (No, this isn't about going to Lib
1. Love Hurts

Love Hurts: part 1

By: Hilde

A small figure tossed and turned on her bed, in the darkness. She called out again, "Duo!" in her sleep. Hilde awoke suddenly, and sat up in bed, breathing hard. She felt a small drop of stinging salty water slip down face, and realized she was crying.

"I can't be like this anymore," she sobbed.

This wasn't the first night she had awoken, crying, hurting. It had been going on ever since Duo had left.

Hilde looked sadly at the empty space beside her, longing to see Duo there. Fall asleep; wake up, in his strong, protective arms. And if either woke up in the night, terrified of the mind, * the other would hold onto them tightly.

That hadn't even happened when Duo WAS around. Now Duo had left. But he had to, he was Gundam pilot, trained to fight, trained to killed. He left because he didn't want her to be in danger, right? Funny, hot, way-to-kind Duo.

"Why?" she asked no one. Only the dark stillness and lonely sigh of the night breeze, tickling her drapes, answered her.

"Besides, he only like me as a friend, right?" but in her heart, she felt it was more than that. "Oh, Duo! I wish you were here,…" she thought.

Hilde looked at the clock. It was 5:02 in the morning!

"No use trying to fall back to sleep now. What do I do now?" she wondered. "At least it's Saturday."

Hilde out of bed, put her robe n, and when into the kitchen to make some coffee.

"I can't stand this anymore!" she half-yelled (as much as anyone can at 5 in the morning) at the wall.

Hilde gathered herself, and hit some numbers on the com unit in the living room. It beeped a few times, then Duo appeared.

He looked tired, but when he noticed Hilde, he perked up an said, "Hey Hilde! What's up, other than us, at this early time in the morning?" with his usual spunk.

"Duo," Hilde began, "I don't think, er, we, uh," she stuttered, trying to find the right words.

Duo knew something was wrong. "Hilde, what happened?"

"Well, uh, Duo…. I think, er, want to," Hilde considered what she was about to do. Would this help? Or would this make it even worse? Maybe if…

"Yes?"

"I don't think we should see each other anymore. It's over," she finally blurted out.

The two didn't say anything for a few moments, hardly believing what had just been spoken and heard.

Duo was the first to break the silence. "Hilde, what do you mean?"

"It's over. No more of this Duo, no more. I know it was like we only just friends, but I think we had something more. But not anymore, Duo. No. Not anymore."

"Hilde,…"

Along uneasy pause. 

"Did I do the right thing? Is this going to, NO! It's done. It's over," Hilde thought.

"Okay bye, Duo. I might see you around, maybe not. See ya," Hilde sighed, as she reached for the "call end" button.

A moment before her finger hit that button, Duo tried to say something.

"Wait, Hilde! I lo…" was all Hilde heard.

"It's over. Bye Duo," she whispered to the now-blank screen.

Oddly feeling better, yet like a huge storm cloud was growing behind her, Hilde went back to bed. (Forgot to turn on the coffee anyway) "I'll just sleep in then. What a night," she thought as she fell asleep.

But all she could see that night was the hurt look on Duo's face as she told him it was over. Over before it even began.

*imagination can scare you: nightmares

# End of part 1

Part 2: Coming Soon.

So Hilde broke up. Now what? Was that the right choice, or did it hurt more than help? And what will they do about it? Find out in the next part: Love Hurts: part 2. Coming VERY soon….

Okay, did ya like, or no go? Please leave feedback. I gotta go type part 2.


	2. Love Hurts (part 2)

Love Hurts: part 2

By: Hilde

Notes: I don't do recaps. If I did, you wouldn't read the other story.

I do not own GW, the characters, or the songs by Savage Garden, and the other pop-artist peeps in here, nor am I claiming to have written them. Thank you.

On with the fic!

Duo's side (of the story):

After a week of denial:

"Okay, so maybe it was all a bad dream. It was 5:00 in the morning. It was real. No use trying to deny it, Duo. She's gone. Hilde's really gone," Duo thought, after a night of not sleeping after that one call, and missing Hilde, as usual.

"But we were just friends, weren't we? Aw, Hilde, you meant a lot more than that, heck, I still do! I love you, Hilde. So why?" the unspoken question ran through his Duo's mind as he got ready for the day.

"What if she found someone else? What if she's,… nah, didn't look like it. So what happened?" more unspoken, unanswered questions and fears raced around in his head.

The warning alarm sounded, and Duo jetted off to his Gundam.

Hilde's side:

A week after "the call":

The alarm clock sounded.

"Ohh, it's so freakin' earl… late!" Hilde exclaimed as she notice the alarm clock. It read 10:30am.

"Well, I guess I'll clean house today," she resolved, as she got out of bed.

After a quick shower, Hilde decided to have some coffee. She walked over to the "breakfast cabinet", opened it, and took out a cylinder of coffee. She looked at it, "Maxwell House Coffee", and put it back in the cabinet.

"Okay, I guess I'll just have some orange juice and cereal, then."

After breakfast, Hilde changed into her "cleaning clothes"; an over-sized T-shirt, and some stained, baggy pants. She turned on the radio, and began vacuuming.

A song came on:

Here I go again,

I promised myself I would think of you today.

It's been seven months and counting

You've move on, I still feel exactly the same,

Hilde could only think of one person: Duo Maxwell.

The sound of vacuuming drowned out the radio for a few minutes. Then,

Like photographic memories of love,

Hilde began dusting some pictures of her and Duo. In one, Duo's braid was blown back, he had his hands in the air, Hilde was holding onto him for dear life, they were both screaming. Must've been that roller coaster ride photo. Another was in a photo booth, the sheet was divided into four pictures: Duo and Hilde, with their heads together, in a heart frame. Both doing a peace sign at the camera. Hilde was looking up at Duo, out of the corner of her eyes; he was giving he bunny ears. Hilde pushed Duo down, and was resting a hand on his back, waving at the camera. They each had a copy of the same sheet.

Hilde had given Duo a picture of her, like a school picture, and Duo had given her a picture of him, like a school picture, only casual.

And I can't move on.

Ever since you've been gone, the lights go out the same,

Hilde left to get a box to put the pictures in. When she came back the radio was still playing,

Am I all alone in the universe?

There's no love on the these streets

I have given mine away to world that didn't want it anyway

So this is my new freedom,

It's funny, I don't remember being chained,

But nothing seems to make sense anymore.

"Tune it out, Hilde, just like Duo's incessant babbling, there you go again."

Ever since you've been gone, the lights go out the same,

Hilde tired to tune it out, as she sadly packed the box. But her mind kept wandering back.

And time goes by so slowly,

The nights are cold and lonely.

I shouldn't be holding on, but I'll still holding on for you.

Here I go again, I promised myself, I wouldn't think of you today,

"Tune. Out."

…because I can't move on. 

Ever since you've been gone, the lights go out the same,

Hilde got up and changed the station.

I would like to visit you for a while,

Get away, and out of the city,

Hilde was unaware of the fact that Duo was listening to the same song, thinking about her, as she was thinking about him.

I'll be courageous if you can pretend that you've forgiven me.

Because I don't know you anymore, I don't recognize this place

The picture frames have changed,

Hilde finished packing the box, and left the room to find a nice, dark closet corner to put it in.

…don't talk much anymore, we keep running from the pain,

But what I wouldn't give see your face again.

Hilde unplugged the radio, and moved it to the kitchen. Duo was still listening to his radio, same station, somewhere on PeaceMillion.

Are you still the same? Has your opinion changed?

Because I don't know you anymore,

I don't recognize this place

The picture frames have changed, so has your name.

We don't talk much anymore, we keep running from these sentences,

But what I wouldn't give to see your face again.

I know I let you down, again and again.

I know I never really treated you right, I've paid the price,

I'm still paying for it everyday.

Hilde plugged her radio back in.

I've paid the price,

I'm still paying for it everyday.

Hilde skipped around to find some music. Interesting sound effects, talk show, commercials. Finally! Some music!

Do you think you're better off alone?…

Commercials. Lots of static.

I must confess, that my loneliness

Is killing me now.

Don't ya know I still believe,

That you will be here...

News and weather.

Love can make you hostage, wanna…

Another talk show. Sports scores.

Lookin' back at the things I've done,

I was tryin' to be some one

Played my part, kept you in the dark,

Now let me show you the shape of my heart…

Static, emergency signal test. Some British channel.

Hilde got a little annoyed at that point, violently unplugged the radio, and put it in the closet with the pictures. Then she went back to finish cleaning the kitchen, and the rest of the apartment.

That night, she lay in bed, still thinking about Duo. His cheerful attitude and smile. The way he laughed. All those jokes. The way his chestnut brown hair moved when he moved. Those blue eyes. Those wonderful, tell-all eyes. She always knew what he was thinking, if she could just look into his eyes.

(Girls, stop drooling)

Hilde let out a longing sigh. "Great. Now you're gone, all because of me," she thought.

Duo was thinking about Hilde too. He was in his room, looking at the one picture he had of her; the one Hilde had given him, wondering why. He was trying to make a joke out of it, "women are so hard to figure out," but this was one of those things that he just couldn't. "I don't know. Maybe I should call. Something's got her all, this way. Can't be PMS," Duo smiled to himself, thinking about this. A smile that was very brief, however, and soon he fell asleep, too, still thinking about Hilde.

# End of "Love Hurts" part 2

Will Duo and Hilde get back together, or go their separate ways? Also find out what's bugging Hilde. This and more in "Love Hurts: part 3"

Also may be the last fic in this series.

Like, or no? Please leave feedback. Thank you. I'm working on part 3.


	3. Love Hurts (part 3)

Love Hurts: part 3

By: Hilde

Duo stared down into the creamy chocolate-brown coffee in his mug, as he sloshed it around.

Quatre walked into the cafeteria, and noticed Duo, hunched over a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Duo," Quatre chimed.

"Mornin'," Duo mumbled back.

"Duo, what's wrong? It's that girl, Hilde, isn't it?" Quatre asked, looking very sympathetic.

"Yeah," Duo replied softly.

"What happened?"

"I guess we kindda broke up. Although it seems like we never really started any boyfriend-girlfriend, goin' steady stuff to begin with."

"Why don't you go back to see her? We don't have any missions at the moment."

"She won't want to see me again."

"What if Hilde DOES want to see you again? It can't hurt to try, now can it?"

'I guess," Duo replied as he got up and left. Although he really didn't believe Hilde would want anything more to do with him. But never the less, he caught the next shuttle from PeaceMillion to L2.

(Since everyone knows the standard shuttle boarding, flying, and docking procedures, I'll skip it)

Duo found himself walking down familiar streets, passing familiar houses. He just walked down the street, hands in his pockets, thinking

"I can't do this, not just yet."

Yet it took all his will power to walk away.

He found a looming building that let tourists climb to the top to view much of that area of L2. Duo decided to go on up, maybe it would clear his mind a bit.

When he got up to the top, he noticed it was deserted. Not many tourists came to the colonies, or COULD come to the colonies with the war. So he had the whole place to himself.

"Great," he thought, as he looked out over the city.

"I'm pretty high up," he said to the lonely breeze, looking down.

He remembered the gun he had hidden inside his shirt, and considered that. He looked down again.

"If I fall, I have some chance of survival, but with this gun," Duo thought, holding the gun in his hand, looking over it very carefully.

Duo just stood there, before finally coming to a decision. He put the gun back in his shirt, and walked back down the stairs, and finally, back to those familiar streets.

This time, he couldn't stop himself. He didn't want to. Duo walked straight to Hilde's apartment, and the doorbell for her area.

No response. He pressed it again. Nothing stirred.

"Arrgghh! Damn it!" he yelled in frustration.

He slammed the doorbell rapidly, making a long series of echoing rings. Then he waited. No one answered.

Duo turned around, and stalked away, his hands jammed into his coat pockets, black baseball cap covering his eyes.

He just walked down the street, not caring where he was going, or who he was bumping into.

"She's really gone. Nothing. She really doesn't want anything more to do with me. I had my hopes up. Now I feel even worse. She's really gone," Duo repeated to himself, over and over, in his head.

The streetlights grew fewer, the buildings closer together; the sound of police sirens and bar noises grew. It was "getting dark out" (colonies have a light system that simulates natural light for the "daytime"). Duo didn't care. Nothing mattered. Nothing but Hilde…

"Aahhhhh!!" Duo heard a scream, which sounded like Hilde's! He looked up. Nothing. Not even a stray dog or cat. He shrugged and continued walking.

Again. This time it was, " Stop it, you! Hey! What are you doing?! Leave me alone! AHH! Got off me you…" that was definitely Hilde.

Duo ran down the street, guided only by the shrieks and shouting from somewhere ahead. At last, he found Hilde. But he also found a gang of tough-looking street guys, looking for trouble.

"It wouldn be so bad if yous would jus' cooperate wid us, girlie," one of the thugs breathed from right behind Hilde.

Even though Duo was standing a little ways away, he could tell what those guys were up to. Hilde's top just barely covered her, as did her pants.

"Hey you!" Duo yelled, distracting the gang. "Leave her alone!"

"You talkin' to me? Wanna save your little girlfriend, huh kid?" the leader sneered.

"Come 'ere, runt!" one challenged.

"Yeah, make us stop! We're having some 'fun' with her. You're a man, why not join us?"

A low, angry growl issued from Duo's throat as he pulled the gun out, and aimed it straight at Hilde's tormenters. "I'm warning you," he threatened.

By this time, Hilde had slumped to the ground, unconscious.

The gang members looked at their leader for what to do next. The leader pulled out a sharp knife, and started to advance on Duo.

Duo's finger tightened on the trigger.

The pack leader lunged at Duo. Duo fired the gun on reflex, narrowly missing one guy's ear. Duo felt a searing pain in his side as the knife cut.

Duo pretended not to notice the pain. Instead he shot straight into the group. They all stopped. They realized he was serious.

"Hey, hey mon, take it easy, will ya? We was jus' jokin' wid yas…" The gang started to back away.

"Go on, beat it, you punks," Duo commanded.

The gang moved back even further, as Duo advanced on them. The gang ran.

As soon a Duo was sure the thugs were gone, he ran over to Hilde.

She tried to look up. "You, came back…" she breathed, before falling into unconsciousness again.

"Just hold on, Hilde. It's going to be fine. You're going to be okay," Duo said, wrapping his coat around her. He gently picked Hilde up and carried her to the main street, where he signaled a taxi. The taxi dropped them off in front of the apartments.

Duo remembered that Hilde had given him a key to her apartment, and he dug in his pocket, until he found it.

He took Hilde back to her room, and lay her down on the bed.

Once he was sure she would be all right, he left to get some anti-septic, band-aids, an ice pack, and some pain reliever. He had realized Hilde had only received minor bruises and scratches, but apparently a rather serious blow to the head.

He came back from his "scavenger hunt" with his arms full of supplies. He gently took his coat off Hilde's body, wincing slightly from his own cut. Then he began to doctor Hilde up. When he was done, he left a glass of water and an aspirin on Hilde's bedside table, then left to tend his own wound.

Before he had a chance to put another shirt on, he heard Hilde's voice, as she woke up. Immediately, he was in her room.

Hilde awoke to find Duo sitting backwards on a chair, watching her lovingly.

"Duo?"

"Hilde! You're awake! Are you okay?" Duo asked, obviously very concerned.

"I'll be fine, if I could just have an aspirin," Hilde said.

Duo laughed. He handed her the aspirin and glass of water.

"You're one tough cookie, Hilde," Duo laughed as Hilde took the pill.

Hilde looked at Duo and noticed the state he was in, physically. He had a bandage wrapped around him, slightly stained with blood on Duo's right side.

"Duo, what happened to you?"

Duo realized Hilde had noticed the bandage. "Huh. It's nothing. I'm a Gundam pilot, remember?"

"Duo…"

'It's a long story, Hilde."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"And I won't let you."

Hilde glared at Duo, but he just smiled.

"Well, I heard a scream, and…" Duo continued to tell Hilde the story of the gang battle.

"What were you doin' out there all by yourself, that late?"

"I wanted to take a different way home, but as it got dark, these guys came out of nowhere…"

"And I can guess where it went from that."

But Hilde had fallen asleep. Duo just sat in the chair, watching Hilde, so many questions in his mind. Eventually, he fell asleep.

The next evening, Hilde was feeling much better.

"Just a few scratches and a little bump on the head, that's all," she had said, when Duo found her out of bed the next day.

Hilde finally had the courage to ask the question that had been bugging her since Duo had come back.

"Duo," she began, "why did you come back?"

Duo took a deep breath, and let it go. He looked up into Hilde's eyes. "What have I done to you?" he wondered. "I had to. I had to see you again, because I still, never mind," he stated. "Why do you care?" he added, anger suddenly taking him for a brief moment.

Hilde looked hurt, and Duo now felt bad. Then Hilde did something that really surprised Duo. She started crying; into him. As if it were a reflex, he put his arms around the trembling Hilde, holding her close. Then, when she had almost stopped, she looked up at Duo. It hurt him to see her this way. Tears still running down her face, anger, terror, sorrow, and loneliness in her tear-clouded eyes. She was the first to speak.

"Duo, I'm so sorry…"

"But why, Hilde?" he softly questioned.

"I…I couldn't stand it. Being so alone w-without you. I need to, can't stand it; why did you leave?" she said in a mix of jumbled thoughts and sentences.

"I had to. I didn't want to. If I had stuck around, they would've been back. I didn't want you to get hurt. Because," he paused, considering his next move, "because I love you, Hilde. I love you." He held her even closer.

Duo wasn't sure if that made Hilde happy, or if it hurt her even more, because she smiled, then started to cry again.

He was silent for a few minutes, and just sat on the couch, holding Hilde safe in his arms. Then he spoke. "Hilde, I don't expect you to forgive me for leaving you, but…"

"I love you, Duo," she interrupted, temporarily stunning Duo. "I couldn't stand being without you, because I love you. I thought that by 'ending' this, I might be able to move on and forget you. But I couldn't. I love you, Duo," she paused, the added, "and I forgive you."

Tears started to form in Duo's eyes. "Oh, Hilde," he sighed, still holding her tightly against himself.

How can I ever make it up to you?" Hilde asked, realizing how much she had hurt Duo.

Duo grinned, then replied, "You could meet me in my bedroom."

Hilde smiled, and promptly gave a Duo a playful little slap, then said, "Maybe."

"Sorry, I should be the one apologizing. I really am sorry, Hilde." He paused before continuing. "And to answer your other question, I came back because I had to see you again. I came back because I love you, Hilde." He stopped again. "Okay, okay, I forgive you, Hilde," he added.

Hilde smiled.

Then Duo gave Hilde a kiss on the lips.

When he pulled away, "Oh come on, you can, too."

This time Hilde kissed Duo, and he kissed back.

"That better?" she asked.

"Much," replied Duo, grinning.

Then they both went for it, full, all-out kissing, tongue and all.

When they finally pulled away, Duo picked Hilde up, and carried her to his room, locking the door behind him. Hilde had no objections.

Duo and Hilde were finally back together, and off to a wonderful start to their new relationship. Now, neither of them ever had to be alone, especially at night, again.

End of "Love Hurts" series.

I really hope you enjoyed this series. I had fun writing it, etc. Please leave feedback! Thanx!


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